Silicon-graphene waveguide photodetectors, optically active elements and microelectromechanical devices

An apparatus for modulating light with light, comprising:

• a substrate having an insulating surface;
• a high index contrast waveguide adjacent said insulating surface, said high index contrast waveguide having a first input port for receiving a first input light beam having a first frequency, a second input port for receiving a second input light beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency, and an output port for providing an output light beam;
• and
• a graphene adjacent said high index contrast waveguide;
• said high index contrast waveguide and said graphene cladding configured so that, when said first input light beam is provided with an amplitude modulation at a predefined frequency, and said second input light beam comprises no amplitude modulation, an output light beam includes an amplitude modulation at said predefined frequency on said second light beam at said second frequency.

An optical detector comprising:

• a substrate having an insulating surface;
• a high index contrast waveguide adjacent said insulating surface, said high index contrast waveguide having an input port for receiving an input light beam having a first frequency and an output port for providing an output signal;
• and
• a graphene cladding adjacent said high index contrast waveguide;
• said optical detector configured to provide a signal at said output port representative of said input light beam.

A nanoelectromechanical device, comprising:

• a substrate having an insulating surface;
• a high index contrast waveguide adjacent said insulating surface, said high index contrast waveguide having an input port for receiving a non-volatile input electromagnetic signal and an output port for providing an output signal;
• and
• a graphene cladding proximate said high index contrast waveguide, said graphene cladding configured to perform a mechanical motion in response to said non-volatile input electromagnetic signal;
• said nanoelectromechanical device configured to provide a non-volatile output signal at said output port representative of said non-volatile input electromagnetic signal.

A method of optically processing light, comprising the steps of:

• providing a structure comprising:
• a substrate having an insulating surface, a high index contrast waveguide adjacent said insulating surface, said high index contrast waveguide having a first input port for receiving a first input light beam having a first frequency, a second input port for receiving a second input light beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency, a third input port for receiving a third input light beam having a third frequency different from at least one of said first frequency and said second frequency, and an output port for providing an output light beam;
• and
• a graphene cladding adjacent said high index contrast waveguide;
• providing a first continuous-wave laser beam having a first frequency;
• providing a second continuous-wave laser beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency,
• providing a third continuous-wave laser beam having a third frequency different from at least one of said first frequency and said second frequency;
• and
• observing an output light beam at said output port, said output light beam including a modulated signal at said third frequency having a modulation frequency equal to
• a difference between said first frequency of said first input laser beam and said second frequency of said second input laser beam.

A method of optically processing light, comprising the steps of:

• providing a structure comprising:
• a substrate having an insulating surface, a high index contrast waveguide adjacent said insulating surface, said high index contrast waveguide having a first input port for receiving a first input light beam having a first frequency, a second input port for receiving a second input light beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency, and an output port for providing an output light beam;
• and a graphene cladding adjacent said high index contrast waveguide;
• providing a first input light beam having a first frequency, and having an amplitude modulation at a predefined frequency;
• providing a second unmodulated input light beam having a second frequency different from said first frequency, and
• observing an output light beam having an amplitude modulation at said predefined frequency on said second light beam at said second frequency.